By: Alexis Caines | Follow me on Twitter/X @alexiscaines_
For most hockey fans, it feels like the season is right around the corner. The National Hockey League gets underway on September 29th with ten teams facing off on opening night.
But for Professional Women’s Hockey League fans, there’s still a lot of waiting. The league still hasn’t released the full season schedule, though it’s rumored that training camp won’t even begin until November 18th.
It means that the twelve teams still have ample time to build up their rosters. For a team like the Boston Fleet, which lost a lot of blueline power and veteran presence, training camp will be a good time to add some depth.
As it currently stands, the Fleet have eleven forwards, five defenders, and two goalies signed heading into the 2026-27 season. Additionally, they have four draftees who are unsigned, two from each skater position, and three training camp invitees, one for each position, though we expect more invites to become public soon.
For context, last season the Fleet roster held 14 forwards, 10 defenders, and 3 goaltenders. It’s clear that they need the most help on their blueline, with only half of their expected force signed. If they sign their two draftees, Grace Dwyer and Maeve Kelly, it puts a lot of pressure on a young d-corps. Of course, everyone saw how well a rookie Haley Winn performed in her first pro season, but we can’t expect everyone to meet that same mark.
One of the newest additions to the Boston Fleet is Head Coach François Méthot. He comes to Boston with experience in development. A former NHL draft pick, he spent most of his career in the American Hockey League and in Germany. His most recent experience is as both Head Coach and General Manager of the North American Hockey League’s Rochester Jr. Americans.
Pressure will fall on Méthot to ensure the seemingly young team is up to par. Can the young rookies keep up with elite skill like Keller and Winn? Last season Keller and Winn were partners for a good chunk of the season. At the end of the regular season, they held the two highest ice-time totals. At one point, former Head Coach Kris Sparre did break the two up into separate pairs, but with a new bench boss it remains unclear how it’ll all go down.
It could be beneficial for them to be separated again and for each to get a rookie partner. This way the rookies are learning from two of the very best, in Keller’s case, the reigning Defender of the Year.
The Fleet are coming off of the best season in franchise history. A lot contributed to the monumental season, including their elite playmakers, some of whom they’ve lost over the offseason.
The absence of Alina Müller will leave a giant gap in their offensive production. They’ll need to see improvement across their forward corps, with players who previously held bottom-six roles stepping into larger roles. we
Another huge concern from last season was the power-play production, or lack thereof. This is another area where Méthot and his staff can improve. Last season, their PP ranked fifth, with a 14%. On the flip side, their kill percentage finished at 91.6%, just 0.2 behind Montréal in first.
As the offseason enters it’s final months, each of the PWHL teams have room to grow. Specifically in Boston, a focus on development will be key to their 2026-27 season success.
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